I don't understand what make the writer believe a state leader who have account on Twitter or facebook would be a good, or at least democratic leader.
again,as always, western person automatically impose their understanding of politics (or freedom, or democracy) on ASIANs.
actually, Sina Weibo is much better than TWITTER for chinese. They speack and exchange ideas on nearly everything on the Weibo, if you ever have a chance to visit Weibo, you can find a lot on.
Protest pollution to advocate democracy, from critcisiing the government to advertising the CPP.
it very funny, could somebody tell me when these arogent western person (i believe only a few among all western people) shall stop their self-approbation behavior?

I think Weibo is better than Twitter because Twitter is extremely null.I believe if China wasn't block Twitter, it cannot be popular in China just like facebook. Few years ago, when Chinese netizen can log in facebook, people are not interested in facebook. they mostly prefer Renren

As a researcher of internet, the foremost question prompted to me was "why the hell is Twitter account important in any sense?" If you know researchers and engineers spending large amount of time merely for filtering the 95% meaningless bullshit in Tweets, you will know how valuable Twitter is. Certainly, the argument of insularity is very true indeed. But to base the whole argumentation on Twitter is shallow.

Indeed, Chinese, not only the leaders but also the public, appear to be insular. But I will attribute this more to language barricade rather that the lack of interest to the world outside. English education in China is horrible. You may take my awkward writing as an above average example. Additionally, the willingness to use English in everyday life is also very low. While Chinese are usually glad to read about foreign news in Chinese. That being said, we may see the real reason of this insularity.

This brings up another question: how insular are westerners to China? Let us set the language issue aside. Simply puts, I see few westerners who really want to learn about China. Most come with their confirmation bias, meaning that they are trying to find what is already in their minds rather than objectively observing the fact. Can follow a similar logic of this article and conclude there is a danger for the western countries when facing the emerging power China?

It is easy to criticize, but it is hard to inform. The Economists prefers to offering cynical comments on the bizarre part of China. Well, I guess most people already know that. A more informative task is to truly report the real China, good and bad, and the promising change that the people take in order to make it better.

I set up a Weibo account, it's a bit silly on my part because I know what few of the simplified Chinese characters mean, like for example the date format (with Arabic numerals), the characters which means Middle Kingdom (China) and the character which means person. By the way, Weibo has a premium app for every major smartphone platform, Symbian included, which is updated quite often - including the older, hard-to-write-for S60.

I still go on there almost daily - sending tweets to "send via SMS" and onto Google translate (horrible translator for English-Chinese). Chinese talk about the same things Westerners talk about. Westerners talk about new Chinese jet fighters, J-20 for example, and Chinese talk about the X-37.

Last week, Weibo was abuzz with sympathy tweets for the horrific killings at a Connecticut school, in concert with the sentiments on Twitter, Facebook, and elsewhere around the world.

How can you define the bullshit in Tweets,you may not only critise the action,but also can't congfine the power,you said The Economists prefers to offering cynical comments on the bizarre part of China,please offer your proof

It is always the arrogance and stereotype of the westerners that Asian people should follow western normal practices. Why should that be? Language and culture is the biggest obstacle for doing so. How can majority of Chinese people who cannot speak and write English to tweet in English?

I think that different countries have different culture. in asia, because of different religions, we believe Confucianism and it said we should be friendly to everyting and do not tell anybody if we cannot decided. sometimes, some ideas just hit us in our mind and do not share in public. Different from western countries, and our Confucianism tell us we should care other people ideas. Any behaviour of our president represent our coutries. If he really want to have it, but he consider whether it considerable to us at fist.

it is a good way to make decision for government. China is of course no stranger to social media. China’s own Twitter-like service, Sina Weibo, is just one of many platforms on which tens of millions of Chinese engage in ongoing conversations of the Twittery variety. It is a bridge to connect the mass to government. it can show some sociaty problems and the ideas of the mass to government. it can make decision of government become more reasonable.

However, twitter and sina or other online ways can cause bad effect. Some people took this public online way to defame others and produce some problems to the mass, even teach and influence some teenagers who do not really know what world it is to a wrong way.like 1989 students strike.

Like economy, we both should face tradeoffs, as to be Asian or America. we should consider opportunity cost at first. We should be critical thinking about it.

I think that different countries have different culture. in asia, because of different religions, we believe Confucianism and it said we should be friendly to everyting and do not tell anybody if we cannot decided. sometimes, some ideas just hit us in our mind and do not share in public. Different from western countries, our president has no twitter. our Confucianism tell us we should care other people ideas. Any behaviour of our president represent our coutries. If he really want to have it, but he consider whether it considerable to us at fist.

Everytime I want to log in my facebook account,I need to use gladder to get access to it. As for some acadmis resources wich is only aviilable in Google, the result is still the same. It is really rediculous and pityful for Chinese people.

Our great CHN is doing some way to try to control the public voice.

Today I read a news sying that a girl from JiangXi province was arguing against the College Entrance Examination becuase it was forbidden to take it if your registered permanent residence is not fittablt with ur current residence place. The girl wants to take the examination in Shanghai becoz she is living there more than ten years and there is no famly member in her native place. She created an account in sina and made some voices.

Today her father wa captured for the charge of interference with public function and her microblog sina account is blocked.

It is said that people have right to free speech, but really in China? Renmin Daily is the offical newsprint to state all meeting essentials and abstracts. But all words in it needs to be verified by central government. Only good news and cliche are known by people.

These days many corrupt officals are revealed by blogs.but I think the right way to resolve the preblem is a open and transparent system not only for blogs but also for whole publicity system.

(1) The essence of freedom of speech is about letting public beware your opinions, this is where free press and freedom of speech differ.

If a journalist has an opinion on an issue, he can make public aware of it, especially those anchors, their opinions can shape how millions of people think. On the other hand, if you have an opinion, you can't make public listen to you unless media and journalists like it.

(2) To have meaningful opinions, you must not be misled or manipulated. So you must have knowledge on pro and con of the issue you want to talk about.

Because most people get most of their information from TV and Newspaper, media and journalists can control what public are aware of. They will present the pro if they like it, they will present you the con if they don't like it. In this way they can shape your opinions about certain issues, so you will say what they want you to say.

(3) When government controls TV and Newspaper, they control which part of issues open to public, pro or con; they can suppress opinions they don't like. Unlike 40, 50 years ago when they blocked the information, now they don't block all complains, but keep such opinions away from public's attention (see Zakaria article above).

(4) "free" media, means that media and journalists control TV and Newspaper; control which part of issues open to public, pro or con (free from punishment if misleading and manipulating); control what issues will get public attention. Simply speaking, let them control information.

The girl must knew that she was not allowed to take exam in Shanghai, why did she insist taking exam in Shanghai?

It is absurd that a girl would take risk of wasting one year of preparation (everyone knows how hard it is) and one year of her life for such risk. So in my opinion, your story is a lie (not by you), or has something hid.

Sina weibo is the biggest client in China which people can express their own ideas. Some comments may be mundane, but never down downright idiotic. English is a worldwide language but there are at least 14 billion people speak Chinese. That’s why people use Sina wibo. Twitter is worldwide but it does not mean that all people should use it. If you use Sina weibo you will find that much different voice which not idiotic as you think.

However, I also think that China should not set block to prevent Chinese from using Twitter or something else. Sina weibo can not present all the important events people want to know. There are a lot of other attitudes towards China that we don’t know. Actually, CCTV only present good things that government had done so that I believe that China is not enough open to let people know everything.

Nevertheless, China and western countries have different political system that’s why China set blocks. It can date back to “close the border”. There’re abundant historical evidences. So it’s not hard to explain the blocks. China needs time to change the “tradition”. According to the trend, the day will not be too far.

All those idiots driving on the roads and crowding onto trains and buses before passengers can get off are suddenly less idiotic when on the internet?

Who cares about different political systems? Respect for freedom of speech - guaranteed under the Chinese constitution - does not exist. Unless you care to go to jail for words that don't espouse violence or hatred. Ask Liu Xiaobo. Ask his wife. Ask the thousands of others in jail and house arrest.

Perhaps it was my idiotic voice that was silenced when I used Weibo. Nothing about political revolution, the 3 Ts or violence. The cat-and-mouse game finally got too tiresome - given the cat has the upper hand.

Stop the lame effort of trying to convince me that People in West are freer than in China, OK?

They are free because they almost never post any threat to the rich and THEIR MEDIA. Once they do (like in OWS), they are not treated better than in China. (In China, people can bash government anyway they want, except not organizing protests or likewise that directly threat the power of CPC.)
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Here is snack for you : "许志永微博语录：法国政府给中国“民主人士”经费太少".

Pro-democratic activist Xu ZiRong, complained on internet that French government has given little money to them. (to change the system)
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Please don't try to say that a westerner dare to demand money from Chinese government or Russian government to carry out political activity in West. Newsweek was sold for one dollar while Chinese were willing to pay millions.

Get it?
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Why should bookstore have books that promotes China's model? Because China's model has pulled hundreds of millions of people out of poverty, which was never done under western system; because China's model has promoted one of the poorest countries to 2nd largest economy in the world.

Stop talking like media in China during 50s or 60s, or the authoritarian media in West now, that I want to see USA adopting socialism, there is definitely something positive about this system that ordinary western people should be aware of.

Authoritarian media, get it? it is the media that paralyzed the western government and brought the mess to western people.

Look at USA, with budget issue so serious, government can't even do anything to illegal immigrants. What if media had convinced people that government got to do what was necessary, like they did after 2008 financial crisis (700 billion to save banks)?

The only way West can recover is that authoritarian media can be effectively regulated.

You and your Western bashing. Why should Western bookstores have books promoting China's system? No it should you twat. A typical Western book store does not even have books promoting its own system. Go inside and look around if there is any books on Democracy, you would be hard pressed to find any. Why? Because they don't sell

As for the illegal immigration. its a bit rich coming from a country that exports hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants to the West, Africa, SEA. Maybe they should do something about, like go to every Chinese restaurant in the US and starting asking for papers.

In the West, I believe books criticizing China are the only ones available about the country, apart from some cookbooks and travel guides. The West is willing to translate and publish only those books that are damning to China. Although they don't see it like that, censorship in the West is much stronger than in China.

When I go to any major Chinese bookstore in Beijing or Shanghai or anywhere else, I see thousands of books written by the people who are promoting political and economic systems that greatly differ from the Chinese system.

Now go to the big mainstream bookstores in New York or Chicago or Paris or Sydney, and see with your own eyes how many books promoting the Communist system or Latin American socialism there are on the front rows. Zero!

You and your Western bashing.
A typical Western book store does not even have books promoting its own system.
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(1) Bashing western authoritarian media, not Western bashing. I have great admiration on their achievement in science and technology. Actually, that system would've had lot of greatness had not their mouth bigger than butt "free" media.
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For example, since when students lost respect to teachers? since, since TV became popular and authoritarian media controlled what people know and how people think.
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Hey, everyone can be president.
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I will be president of USA, who the hell are you? says a student to his math teacher.
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(2) Of, how many people would go to a book store searching for books on political issues, authoritarian media put the food on the tables of "free" people and that is all they need to know.

"When I go to any major Chinese bookstore in Beijing or Shanghai or anywhere else, I see thousands of books written by the people who are promoting political and economic systems that greatly differ from the Chinese system. "

I don't know what type of bookstore he is referring too, particularly if he does not read Chinese, which I assume he does not. You can barely find a printed edition of the Economist outside of major hotels, let alone thousands of books on political systems. Its not verified at all, but you take this hack's word as the truth, because it makes you feel all warm and fuzzy.

Yes, the author is really funny. he forgets that the library system, and focuses on the Capitalist hellhole that is the Western bookstore. Its clear your understanding of the West is superficial at best, and you can be influenced by this propagandist. He too does not understand the West either.

Why don't major Western bookstores have such works, because they can be found be found in major Public Libraries, and unlike in China, it's free or you can buy a membership for $40/year if you want to borrow. Most Public university libraries are open to public (free), you can even buy a library pass for xx/year, and actually borrow books. They will have tens of thousands of books, unlike the assertions of the author, it can most likely be proven if google hard enough.

In Beijing only this year most unviersities started to allow people free access to read (but not borrow with few exceptions). So over time, the number of books about different political systems that the author so loving talks about will gradually disappear, as people will start to use the libraries instead.

"For example, since when students lost respect to teachers? since, since TV became popular and authoritarian media controlled what people know and how people think.
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Hey, everyone can be president.
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I will be president of USA, who the hell are you? says a student to his math teacher."

Its a bit rich coming from a Commie like yourself, remember the Cultural Revolution, where students actually killed teachers. So please spare us the hypocrisy will you.

Yes many illegal immigrants happen to be Chinese nationals. There are many illegal Chinese immigrants around the globe. Its a bit rich coming from a country well known for sending out illegal immigrants.

Is the financial times not authoritarian media? All he is arguing is for the US to move toward a Westminster style (Democratic Dictatorship), I don't think you even understand what that means. Stop being a fool

You are a first class fool, you really are. What Fukuyama is arguing has been argued over 200 years ago during Washington's time. The US system is deliberately designed to allow consensusm checks and balances, unlike the British system. The are really a scatter brain.

"In the West, I believe books criticizing China are the only ones available about the country, apart from some cookbooks and travel guides."
These are some of the books that are available about China in Western bookshops. Some of them are quite big sellers:
When China Rules The World: The End of the Western World and the Birth of a New Global Order by Martin Jacques
The Chinese Century: The Rising Chinese Economy and Its Impact on the Global Economy, the Balance of Power, and Your Job
Oded Shenkar
China Shakes The World: The Rise of a Hungry Nation
James Kynge
The Penguin History of Modern China: The Fall and Rise of a Great Power, 1850 - 2009
Jonathan Fenby
One Billion Customers: Lessons from the Front Lines of Doing Business in China
James McGregor
Demystifying the Chinese Economy
Justin Yifu Lin
The Writing On The Wall: China And The West In The 21st Century
Will Hutton
There is actually a boom in books about China in the West. The country's economic success is plain for all to see, and this has spurred great fascination with China and its economic model, much as happened with Japan in the 1980s. Some books are critical; others see China as the world's future economic and geopolitical superpower.

Actually only 10% of illegal immigrants in the USA are from Asia (including South Asia and Southeast Asia), and only a fraction of that is from China.

Most illegals from Asia in the USA get there by overstaying their temporary visa. You cant just hop on a boat or cross some deserts like you can from Latin America, which is why there are so few illegals from Asia.

Of course obtaining a visa requires a certain level of accomplishment and a large monetary deposit.

Actually only 10% of illegal immigrants in the USA are from Asia (including South Asia and Southeast Asia), and only a fraction of that is from China.

Most illegals from Asia in the USA get there by overstaying their temporary visa. You cant just hop on a boat or cross some deserts like you can from Latin America, which is why there are so few illegals from Asia.

Of course obtaining a visa requires a certain level of accomplishment and a large monetary deposit.]

Every single one of the original Europeans, who got to the Americas, were ILLEGAL immigrants. Tell Bis that.

Actually by your silly definition, most of the Chinese in SEA are "illegal" immigrants, including the one's in Singapore. As a smelly Indian in Singapore, I am also an "illegal" immigrant. By your silly definition, most of Southern Chinese and Aryan Indians are illegal immigrants also.

[Bismarck888in reply to Devils hour 28 mins ago
Actually by your silly definition, most of the Chinese in SEA are "illegal" immigrants, including the one's in Singapore. As a smelly Indian in Singapore, I am also an "illegal" immigrant. By your silly definition, most of Southern Chinese and Aryan Indians are illegal immigrants also.]

You are right. Ther are/were ALL illegal immigrants. The point is, if all these "illegal" immigrants (including the whites in the Americas, Australia, etc) could stay where they were, why can the current Chinese "illegal" immigrants?

Even those who have a "smug superiority and arrogance" are learning to accept illegal immigrants as a fact of life:

'There are even some African bosses who through their ability and economic foundations have married and had children in Guangzhou, laying down roots in China. Photo is of an African businessman and his Chinese wife.'

'However, most African still live in their own circles, them believing that Chinese people are very difficult to engage, and thus difficult to become friends with. One African businessman says: “My family has asked me what I have seen in China, and I say I have only seen jeans and black people.” According to Arnold, an Associated Press journalist previously based in Africa, China doesn’t actually have racial discrimination against Africans, “the so-called discrimination is instead similar to how urban residents discriminate against people from the rural countryside who have no money nor know the rules.” Photo is of Chinese and Africans at a food stall.'

'Posted on a street-side photography stall are several souvenir photographs of Africans. Even though the visa to enter China is difficult to obtain; even though in China they still get looks, the number of Africans going to Guangzhou still increases by 30-40% every year. Reports show that more and more Africans through Guangzhou are gradually spreading to Beijing, Shanghai, and other cities.'

This article discussed buying patterns during the holiday season. The author examined Black Friday and how Americans are the driving economic factor. Retail businesses participate in these events of holding goods by a discounted sale prices because they believe it will bring in more revenue. I believe that while these stores are bringing in more customers because they see such a great deal in the paper that once they are in the store, they see other things they would buy or come back and buy at another time. With the US economy in such a unstable state, it is hard for consumers and customers to go out and spend their money and if they are spending, they are indeed looking for a bargain anywhere. The article states, “The decline in Americans' buying power has redefined the meaning of low price. Walmart used to be considered the leader in what it calls every day low pricing, but the Bentonville-based behemoth has underperformed the broad market in the past two years. Walmart is now investing in massive price cuts that are eating away at the firm's profitability.” This was shocking to me because when I think of Walmart I think of low prices compared to anywhere else and even if you show them a lower price they will match it. Their profitability is still getting hurt because of the lack of sales they are receiving in whole.
Online shopping has also changed the way we as consumers buy our goods and how we have become more money conscious. Websites like EBay, Amazon, and basically the whole internet has made shopping much more frugal and easy. If you Google searched any item imaginable the results pull up and you can see where you can purchase that item/good at the lowest price. The ease of shopping from home from companies like QVC or HSN has made it easy not to leave home and get into a store where retailers want you to buy their normal prices goods also. Consumers are only looking for the best bang for their buck. As technology advances every day the way we receive and use goods will change also. Cyber Monday is probably the best/most genius idea any business can participate in. After Thanksgiving is over the Monday is where a consumer can find the best deals throughout the internet.
I believe that there is a fun aspect of Black Friday. In my family is kind of becoming tradition that after Thanksgiving dinner has been eaten, we all go out and wait in lines to see what crazy deals we can get. This year I bought an Apple Ipad 2 for $350 at Best Buy and received a $50 gift card to use whenever, so the deals that are out there are all different and its become fun for my family to go out and find the best deals in town. On Cyber Monday, I personally spent nearly $150 just on clothes and it was probably the greatest thing ever.
The holiday season is such an important economic factor because it shows how/where consumers will invest/spend their money. It also shows a potential success a business can hold. Since we went through a recent financial crisis it will be interesting to see how the economy will recover.

it is so happy as a student by reading articles that i can learn a new word "Twiplomacy".actually in China the head of the party never have a microblog account.this also reveals that the definition of China and western world is different.in my eyes, western world government is more transparent than eastern countries.in fact, China's public opinion is mostly dominated by stated-owned social media and i guess there must be something concealed from the public.in the light of this statement,the Chinese residents cannot get a full understanding about the govenment. if we turn on the TV, all we see and hear is something goes like"CHINA is promising,keep a stable growth in economic bla bla bla ", when it comes to make comments on western counries, it goes like"America has still long way to go to recover from crisis;some countries are suffering from heavy natural disaster bla bla". then , turn on to the microblog, there is a flood of bad news about China. i can see that there is a lack of critical thinking and objectiveness in China.sometimes, we can only konw from some western magazine how the westeners view China which sometimes is completely different from our version.

So why do millions of Chinese go "aboard" to the West? Did you hear much from them about the greatness of the Chinese system?
You, are the one who doesn't know what hypocrisy is, old man. But hey, I was blinded by revolutionary red songs too at your age.
Long Live Mao Tse-tung Thought and the Revolutionary Spirit of Lei Feng!

Speaking of hypocrisy, what exactly is the difference between the Keystone XL and the Northern Gateway? Is there any difference at all? Surely Canadians would benefit from having two buyers rather than just one for their goods? Of course most Canadians understand this fact very well.

Also speaking of hypocrisy, what is the difference between your racist propaganda that you spew to those that you claim to dislike? See Peter Navarro and his book isn't even the slightest bit racist, but somehow you manage to twist his words out of context and turn them into racist hate speech.

Anyways, just FYI, the pro Rohingya, Karen, and Kachin Facebook groups have far more "fans" (and thus awareness) than Navarro's book. I guarantee that the anti-racism awareness campaign will be far more successful than the pro-racism one you're trying, and failing, to wage.

I think there are some misunderstanding. 'millions of chines go abroad' actually is: millions of chinese go abroad as tourist, not only go to western countries, but also Jap. Koera, Burmer, Cambodia, Africa...nearly everywher all around the world.
for sure, there are millions of chinese live abroad in USA, europe,.. for a better life . To earn more money
on the other hand, there are also millions of western toursits come to China.
And there are also millions of western persons live in china as expatriates, or as China citizen. for same reason, to earn more money.
i don't believe the huge population exchange is for any political reason. Only for money.

It's actually quite interesting when you compare the Alexa top sites by country. Picking the US, Britain, Germany, India, Taiwan, Japan, Brazil and Kenya, what do you find? Pretty much the same structure everywhere.
They generally have Google, Facebook, Youtube, Yahoo and Wikipedia among the top ten plus a local ebay/bookseller website and a local news website (with Twitter and LinkedIn included or being close runner-ups).
Even Russia looks pretty similar (with the exception of some cyrillic websites which I can't read).
According to Bismarck's logic, one could say that the whole world is more integrated culturally than China is with either Taiwan/HK or the rest of the world.
Or should we say 'yet'?
If there is no such thing as singularity of Chinese culture, we should definitely see China being "harmonized" as well in due course (as we see it with Apple products already). That is, of course, if access to the above sites is no longer blocked in China.
As the world becomes increasingly globalized, Chinese all over the globe will find that if they want to socialize, they will perhaps still use QQ but will need Facebook as well because the rest of the world isn't into QQ.
It will be interesting to see how those Chinese clones will survive in the global market of the future. Google, Facebook and Youtube have shown that they are universal in appeal/application but can Baidu and QQ achieve that feat? Or will they remain backwater websites, albeit large ones, until they become obsolete over time?

If there is no such thing as singularity of Chinese culture, we should definitely see China being "harmonized" as well in due course (as we see it with Apple products already). That is, of course, if access to the above sites is no longer blocked in China.

****************************************

Let us see how "free" world is "harmonized".

Andre Vltchek, <>

In the West, I believe books criticizing China are the only ones available about the country, apart from some cookbooks and travel guides. The West is willing to translate and publish only those books that are damning to China. Although they don't see it like that, censorship in the West is much stronger than in China.

When I go to any major Chinese bookstore in Beijing or Shanghai or anywhere else, I see thousands of books written by the people who are promoting political and economic systems that greatly differ from the Chinese system.

Now go to the big mainstream bookstores in New York or Chicago or Paris or Sydney, and see with your own eyes how many books promoting the Communist system or Latin American socialism there are on the front rows. Zero!

Therefore, Chinese people are much better informed about Western capitalism and the Western political system than Western readers are about China.

There is one essential reason: For the first time in modern history, the Western dominance of the world is being seriously challenged. And the West is panicking. It is too accustomed to rule.

The title of the article :
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Why criticizing china is popular in bookstore
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Continue ...
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The bias will be abandoned only when China fully abandons its course and accepts the "wise dictate" of the West, namely its political and economic system. Basically, they want China to do what South Korea and Japan did earlier. Japan is now paying dearly for accepting countless compromises forced on it by the US.
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It is true that at present China has lost to some extent the propaganda war with the West since the West has convinced many people all over the world that "China is actually more capitalist than historically capitalist countries," that "the rich are getting richer and the poor poorer, and that "Communism is only some kind of rhetoric."

The writer is just a Communist Hack. Let's be frank, all those countries he list just happen to be on one side of an ideological struggle between two Western ideas (Free Market Capitalism vs Communism).

The West is right, China has many capitalist traits, rising inequality etc. Only a food like you and the silly author will say otherwise.

Do I care if he is communist or an alien? is what he said about bookstores FACT?

Oh, have you ever heard of the word.. what is that? oh, FACT?

Do you know what that is? You can speak eloquently, you can lavish all the English words in an oxford dictionary, you can have theory as beautiful as communism, but YOU CAN'T BEAT FACTS, of course that is on the assumption you know what the word "fact" means.

BTW, China does have lot of capitalist trait, but it has the fundamental character of socialism : PEOPLE ARE THE OWNERS OF (main) CAPITAL. It is this character that saved China from 2008 financial crisis. On the other side, USA is capitalism even if the government hires 70% of the people, because the capital is in the hands of capitalists.

Of course, westerners have been brainwashed so badly that they even forget their system is capitalism, all they know, as they are told, their system is democratic.

What moronic answer? Communism is a Western system is not ? Was Marx a westerner? Just because Western countries don't follow Communism any more, does not make it any less Western. As for books promoting Communism/Latin American socialism. How many books on Latin American socialism will you find in a typical Chinese bookstore. Also many Maoist bookstores have been closed in China after the arrest of Bo Xilai, so let's talk about how enlightened China toward Communism.

As for the bookstores. Have you been to a Dutch book store? French? Most likely you only been to an book store in English speaking countries. How many books of history/politics do you see in the English speaking countries about other countries that don't involve US/Britain/France/Germany? You and the author should ask how many books about Eastern Europe has he seen in any Western books store (not just the English speaking world) you prat. Almost zero.

IN most English speaking countries, Chinese history gets more shelf space than all of Europe outside UK, France and Germany combined. So let's put things in perspective. The irony is most likely a typical German know more about Chinese history than about the history of their neighbors to the north, the Dutch.

You whine about the West not knowing enough about your beloved China, they don't even know about themselves.

I ask you this. How many books of Korean, Japanese, Indonesian, Indian, Indonesian, Malaysia, Thai history / politics is in a Chinese bookstore? Outside of Japan, the ones that they do have about those countries usually focuses on narrow moments that only involve "China" (usually war), Sino-Vietnamese War, Korean War, Sino-Indian War or were just translations from English texts.

"BTW, China does have lot of capitalist trait, but it has the fundamental character of socialism : PEOPLE ARE THE OWNERS OF (main) CAPITAL. It is this character that saved China from 2008 financial crisis. On the other side, USA is capitalism even if the government hires 70% of the people, because the capital is in the hands of capitalists."

You are an idiot. Being owners of capital did not save Chinese people from the financial meltdown. How much of GDP is really owned by the state, all of it is technically, but how can they control at moment's notice (ie ownership of SOEs), maybe 40% of the economy, lower than in many Western countries. The key thing that immunized China was closed capital markets. The most deadly thing for China, is not political reform or even privatization, but financial market openness. But China can't remain closed for long.

As for the author, like alot of hardline Communist, he trying latch on to that fact that China is successful, because its "Communist". Chucking must definitions he has of Communism out the door.

Furthermore, like all good, God fearing Communist, he decide to become a US citizen. Why not Chinese? Bolivian? Peruvian?

How many books on Capitalism do you see in Cuba or Venezuela, besides books bashing it. To be frank most mainstream bookstore in the West, don't have books the works of Adam Smith, Ricardo, so why should they have books on Communism?
Let's be frank, bookstores now are not like the bookstores 30 years ago, alot of books they should have more of like motorcycle repair, car repair they don't really have sell much of anymore, let alone books on Communism. Why? It has migrated all on the web that is why. You are pigheaded, because you don't look at context. Why should the bookstore stock anything on Communism, when I can read the Communist Manifesto/Das Kapital for free on the net. Want to know about Latin America Socialism (what ever that is ??) you can find it on amazon.com. For automobile repair, you can find alot of things online, videos, forums, that is why they stopped selling them. I am sure most mainstream bookstore in China won't stock many books on Communism because you can download off the net.

I don't talk like Communism in 1950-60s, I am talking about now. The CPC just closed down many Maoist websites in China. They should also get a voice too? Is there not many different versions of Communism.

You know why I dismiss Communism, because I read Das Kapital (all 3 volumes) in university, that was 30 years ago. Very few people have done that even in Eastern Bloc countries. I also read Lenin and Marx's other works also. What is practiced in China today is faux-Communism, there is no attempt to actually progress to toward Communism. Its Socialist, but just as Sweden is "socialist". According to Marx, China has not yet reach Communism, nor is it progressing to that state.

The problem with you, is that you ill-educated, swallowing cheap CPC propaganda, and don't take the time to actually read what the actual policies are.

People like you and Andre Vltchek, are hacks, who's only ideology is hate for the West. You change a definition so you can still call yourself "Communist", but you are not. At least the Maoist in China, are not hypocrites, and they stick to their principles. They don't defend the CPC, or twist definitions to hide the fact that the CPC is no longer really Communist.

"Now go to the big mainstream bookstores in New York or Chicago or Paris or Sydney, and see with your own eyes how many books promoting the Communist system or Latin American socialism there are on the front rows. Zero!"

What you are missing there is that there may not be many because they don't sell. There are always at least a few, but that is not because of some government policy. It is based on consumer demand. You forget that if you want to write one, and try to sell it here, you are free to do so.

If I went to China, and tried to write something that was the antithesis of the current model, I would quickly disappear and my book would never be published, even if I tried to give it away for free.

Ideas being unpublished because people are not interested is much different than them being unpublished because of affirmative censorship and being jailed for a "thought crime".

You forget that if you want to write one, and try to sell it here, you are free to do so.
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Can you name a book ? in last 20 years ?
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In West, it is career suicide to write a book that praises the system of China
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Anita Dunn was forced to resign after saying that she admire Mao.

I think as usual you make a big fuss, Anita Dunn was not admiring Mao, she was paraphrasing Lee Atwater. Secondly the position was an interim.

IN the West its not career suicide write a book that praise China. I used to know a professor who wore a Mao cap, and wore Mao badge everyday. He was died hard Communist. That was during Cold War.

I know you like to praise China's system, but let's be frank, the world would be a lot poorer if everyone was to adopt China's system to the letter with no modifications

1) There would be no foreign companies allowed to develop any natural resources in any country around the world. Canada won't allow Chinese companies to move in. Ditto with Angola. How many Foreign oil companies are allowed to operate in China?

2) All countries will have capital controls like China. The amount of foreign investment will shrink to 10% of what it is today if you are lucky

3) National internet, There will be firewalls just like they have in China

4) Give the Chinese tendency for bilateralism, international organizations would be much weaker, and many would not exist.

5) If the Americans had the same attitude toward the Chinese have toward the Japanese, Japan would be agrarian economy. In fact much of Asia would be poorer, if the Americans decide to playing begger thy enemies like the Soviets

You never sit down and think through things, like alot of posters here you take alot of things for granted. China has benefit alot from free movement of Capital (FDI) and investment.

The Chinese system is great because freeloads off the Western system, if most countries were to act like the Chinese, it does not look as good. Its a good system in isolation, but everybody would be worse off if more people adopted it. The underlying assumption is that the countries would only adopt an authoritarian model, while allowing free mobility of capital. etc. Restriction of capital is just as important for the survival of the CPC as political restrictions, may be even more important.

In fact if you want to make the world poorer I hope every single country adopts China's great system, so I can see your arrogance disappear quickly.

you are dumb. nobody wants to read books about communism cos it sucks. and if nobody wants to read it then publishers dont wanna print it and waste their money. wipe the cum out of your eyes. denial aint pretty. western censorship is nothing like in china. admittedly opinion is guided, but opinion is not denied.

The Economist as usual did a poor explanation of the Chinese web is separated from the rest of the world, including ironically Chinese communities like Hong Kong and Taiwan. IF you look at the popular website of these parts of China vs the China proper, there are large differences. In Taiwan the top sites, according to Alexa are

There are only two differences, between the two. UK has BBC website in the top 10, while the US does not. US has craigslist in the top 10, but the UK does not. The US and the UK are more integrated culturally than the PRC/ROC .

Another point - people in Economist seem to convince themselves Chinese people live in a dark-age locked up inTRanet.
Just look at how many corrupted officials/scandal fallen victim of Weico exposure recently, you know the power of social network already changed China. But this is a byproduct of social network, main function is still stay in touch with friends.
The only thing you better not say on Weico is calling for uprising against party rule. Not interested. And I believe most users know where the redline is.

Twitter, FB - why would the editor think they are even remotely interesting to people in China??!! DO YOUR RESEARCH

China has 2x Weico (similar to twitter) and 2x similar sites as facebook called Kaixin and RenRen (they have already gone out of fashion so watch your FB share).

I was born in China. Now living in London and works for Bluechip US company and speaks fluent English. I spend 90% of my time on Weico not twitter. And I know most of my Chinese-overseas do the same.

I'm afraid Weico has more than 'tens of million users', it has 100s of million, and most government bodies have accounts there - lots of complaints are filed this way. And you can see most news from BBC / SKY /Sun / Daily mail translated and spread on Weico.

See this is an interesting thing - people use social media to 'social' so if most of your Chinese friends are on weico, you won't use twitter. Same with the author in Beijin, he/she doesn't seem to know Weico much because most of his/her friends are on twitter!

Twitter is blocked out of china. Nobody tells me the reasons. Obviously it is not trade protectionism. I once sidestepped the wall and created a twitter account only to find nothing interesting to follow due to culture and language difference. Now I have a SINA WEIBO account.

"misapplication of intra-cultural Chinese tricks and stratagems to intercultural situations; and a fixed worldview that presumes China’s superiority over other civilisations"
Wow! What a succinct way of expressing the raw unpleasant truth about China, that people living in the "barbaric periphery" (like Burma or Tibet) have known for centuries.
I am ordering that book by Luttwak tonight!